Circling
by redgrass-and-silvertrees
Summary: Just as Roy Mustang achieved his dream of becoming Führer, he finds a familiar looking visitor in his office and he thinks that perhaps not all stories end but just continue on in a slightly different way. One-shot. Sort of sequel to "Titles"


**Four years later, it's still not mine**

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><p><em>A circle is the reflection of eternity. It has no beginning and it has no end and if you put several circles over each other, then you get a spiral<em> ~ Maynard James Keenan

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><p>Roy Mustang leaned back in his plush, velvet chair and thought that this very well may be the greatest, most comfortable chair he had ever sat in. He smirked to himself, it only made sense after all, since he'd spent over half his life trying to get into it. This past winter at the ripe old age of 49, he had finally achieved his ultimate goal of becoming Führer of Amestris. Grumman had ruled until his death for almost eight years; stabilizing the chaotic aftermath of the Promised Day. One or two useless and uninspiring intermediate placeholders had followed finally made way for Roy to take what he saw as rightfully his. He sighed mournfully as he ran a hand through his hair which now equal parts gray as black, is was almost too bad he had to start stripping the office of it's overwhelming authority. It would be so easy to abuse such power but that's why he was here in the first place; to ensure that this country could lead itself without some almighty puppet master. He had to restrain himself from rubbing at his now fully functional eyes, yes, the country<em> had<em> to change.

He heard shuffling outside his office door as he heard Riza talking to someone. Riza, even after 15 years of an unofficial relationship he never quite got over the thrill of saying her first name. Like this office, he'd waited long and hard for his queen, maybe now that he'd reached this position he could finally ask for her hand in marriage. As on cue, he heard his door open and close and smiled lovingly up at his aide only for it to immediately slip into a worried frown.

"What's wrong?" He asked curtly as he took in her slightly widened eyes and pale visage. She blinked before shaking her head slowly and smiling warmly which immediately relaxed him. They were both masters of subtle signals and he could read her assurance of safety as if she'd spoken it aloud.

"It's nothing Sir, just a bit of a shock. You have a visitor to see you."

"A visitor huh?" he said slowly, guessing that it was this so-called visitor who had given Riza, a woman who had seen and done enough to break just about anyone, a shock. "Is it someone important? Do I need to clean up?" He said reaching behind him for his military coat on the back of his chair which he had abandoned due to the sweltering August heat but Hawkeye shook her head with a small smile.

"You needn't dress up Sir but that doesn't mean that the visitor isn't important. I'll send them right in." Slightly apprehensive, Roy sat up straight in his chair, folding his hands on his desk and schooling his features for anything. Was it Falman who was down from Briggs to show off his new stars as a Major? Or Havoc and Becky back from their vacation with their children in the East? Or even Elicia Hughes dropping in on her sort of Uncle during a break in her first year at Central University? Roy Mustang thought after all he'd been through that he was prepared for anything but as the door opened he realized that he was mistaken. He gasped silently as the figure stepped into the room and he gripped his ornate chair to stop himself from falling over.

Spikey golden blond hair complete with messy bangs and an annoying little antenna, sharp golden eyes that bore into him, a red coat hung on shoulders set in a familiar slouch. All of a sudden Roy Mustang wasn't Führer, wasn't even in Central anymore. He was in East City, a 26 year old newly minted Colonel with nearly impossible aspirations and a mouthy little alchemist in front of him.

"Fullmetal?" he whispered incredulously as the vision from the past rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"This is why I hate coming to Central; everyone's always confusing me with dad." And just like that, the reverie was broken. He took in with clearer eyes the subtle facial differences, the hair and bangs cut shorter than Ed had ever worn. Even the coat was different enough to separate him from Fullmetal's signature eyesore. And if that wasn't enough, a quick dart of his eyes noted a lack of armored baby brother and the boy's gloveless hands confirmed that he had two working flesh arms. Roy coughed with a touch of embarrassment into his fist.

"Sorry about that Aaron, it's been awhile since I saw you last and you've really taken after your father." The boy snorted lightly as he folded his arms and shifted his weight to the side as he favored one leg in a gesture that was so Edward it was almost painful to watch. What was it with Elric boys and their nearly identical appearance to their fathers? "Is there something I can do for you? Is your father with you?" He said leaning over a bit to look for the former Fullmetal Alchemist if only to confirm that he had not just mysteriously time travelled 25 years. Aaron huffed and shifted over so he was once again directly in Roy's line of sight.

"No, it's just me. Mom and Dad are visiting Auntie Gracia right now; I got out of it out saying that I wasn't feeling good." Roy raised an eyebrow, so the Elrics were back in Central were they? It's not like he and Ed didn't keep in contact but it was always a pleasure to see his charge face to face. After losing his alchemy and thus his State Alchemist's license, Ed came back to the military a few years later in a move that still managed to confuse Roy even now. Ed still worked for him but now as a freelance agent under him doing tasks to help with Roy's reinvention of the State Alchemist program and other things a normal soldier couldn't accomplish. Still, none of that explained why Edward's eldest son stood before him now looking at him with the same hungry determination his father had so long ago.

"Alright kid, so why are you here? And don't tell me you just wanted to drop in on your favorite granddad because if I've told Ed once I've told him a thousand times that I am not-"

"I want to join the military and be a State Alchemist." If Roy had thought he was astonished when Aaron first stepped into his office he was now completely out of his depth as he gaped at the young boy before him in a distinctly undignified manner. Aaron squared his shoulders and stepping forward until his tanned hands were leaning on his desk. "I've been training as an alchemist from Dad and Uncle Al since before I could walk. I've read through all their books and I've gotten everything I can from them. I'm ready to start training with Auntie Izumi but I want a place in the military when I come back and not because of my old man but because I am good enough all on my own." Roy, still completely bewildered, raised a weakly defensive hand.

"But you're only-"

"14, yeah I know that one of your first acts in recreating the State Alchemist program was to make the minimum age of entry 15. But training in Dublith will take at least a year and convincing Mom and Dad to let me go maybe even longer so I'll be plenty old enough by the time I'm ready." Roy gave into his desire to rub his temples musing that he had a special type of headache reserved for dealing with Elrics.

"Look Aaron-"

"No!" The kid said, glaring at him for all that he was worth, but after a moment his eyes softened as he took a deep breath and stepped back. Roy raised an eyebrow, clearly Ms. Winry's influence there. "Look, Mr. Mustang, I understand that it must be hard for you to look at me and see Dad but I'm not him. I have my own ideas and my own alchemic theories and plus I'm way taller than he was this age." He said with a proud little smirk before furrowing into a serious frown. "And I'm tired of living in his shadow, of having everyone compare me to the great Fullmetal Alchemist. That's why I want to go out and do my own good, make my own name doing something I love. If it's too personal for you, I guess I understand, but I'll just walk out that door and offer my skills to someone who _won't_ be blinded by misplaced sentimentality. I thought I'd come to you first because, Dad's right, you are the best person out there to change the world and I want to be a part of it."

Roy leaned back into his comfortable chair studying the young man in front of him. Aaron was right about one thing, he certainly wasn't Ed, the longer he was here the more Roy could pick out the cues that marked him as unique. He frowned inwardly as he realized what he was doing, comparing the father to the son, was exactly what Aaron didn't want and was trying to escape from. Jeez, he was there when this boy was _born_, when did all of the kids he'd guided suddenly grow up? With one last fond thought of a young and brash Fullmetal, Roy refolded his hands leveling the kid with the smug detached smile he had first given Ed when he too had shown up at his office demanding to be made a State Alchemist.

"Alright Mr. Elric, I'm willing to play ball. You go train with your teacher, do whatever it is you need to do to convince your parents and then you and I will talk about the exam. And don't think for a second that I'll go easy on you just because you're the son of an old friend, my _sentimentality _as you so astutely put it may have gotten in the way when I recruited a smart-mouthed 12 year but I won't make that mistake twice." He held out his hand. "Just so long as keep all your limbs where they ought to be and not drag around a bodiless suit of armor, I think we'll be just fine." The boy's lips curved in a determined smirk as he grasped Mustang's hand. Roy only hoped that one day, long after the kid had passed his test and was working for him as he surely would, he'd stop seeing Edward reflected in those eyes.

"I won't let you down, Mr. Mustang," he said before dropping into a sheepish expression that Ed would have never worn. "Also can you not tell my parents just yet? I want to get everything ready first so I have a stronger chance of convincing them. You know how they can be." Roy grinned and gave the boy's hand one last pump before letting go.

"More than you know and I don't think that'll be a problem. The pipsqueak only calls if there's massive property damage so I don't see why I need to bother him with a conversation between two men." Aaron's bright grin soothed his fears. Maybe this was a good thing, in the years since the Promised Day, he'd often thought of what he would've changed and his treatment of his youngest subordinate always topped that list. Those boys had been through enough without his own underhanded _bastardness,_ as Ed would call it, making things harder for them. Maybe he could make it up somehow by giving the son what he'd been unable to give the father, a supportive shoulder and a place to belong

Now appearing much less tense than when he'd initially stepped into the room, Aaron gave Roy a quick, respectful bow before making his way towards the door. Just as Roy was about to turn away, Aaron popped his head back in really quick.

"Quick question though, will I get extra points on the exam if I call you Grandpa Roy or will Old Man suffice?" Roy growled and picked up his stapler as if to throw it at the cheeky alchemist who had wisely by this point ducked back outside the door but Roy could still hear his snickering as he left.

"Get out of here you annoying little brat or burn you so there won't be enough of you left for your parents to put in an urn!" With a grumbling that did not match his wistful smile, he set the stapler back down and spun away from the door. It had been far too long since an officer had been able to rile him up so and he was now realizing how much he had missed it. He still wore that contented smile when Riza quietly entered a few minutes later, standing solemnly by his desk.

"Are you sure this is such a good idea Roy?" She said placing a strong hand on his shoulder. "He's only just a boy and I hardly think Edward and Winry will be happy to hear about this." He patted her knuckles and leaned forward a bit so he could look out his window and see the sun catch on the young Elric's hair as he ran out of headquarters, presumably to get back to his hotel before his parents discovered his absence.

"A long time ago, I accepted that fact that I will never get an Elric to follow my orders." He said lightly turning up to the love of his life with a proud smile. They'd come a long way not just since the Promised Day but since he'd been a young boy learning alchemy under a bitter, reclusive teacher. Everyone had to grow up sometime and Roy found himself alright with that as he reflected that it just meant more interesting people came into the world. "So the only thing I can do is guide them, keep their wayward genius in line and channel it into something amazing."

His gentle smile gave way to a smirk as he lifted Riza's hand to his lips. "So what do you say, are you up for dealing with teenage mood swings and insane talent again?" Her exasperated sigh was all the answer he needed as he settled himself in for one more wild ride. He'd thought reaching the office of Führer would mean that he could finally relax and take things easy, but it seemed that would never happen as long as he had an Elric boy to keep things interesting. Despite everything, he felt himself getting excited at the prospect.

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><p>I guess in some sort of way you could consider this a sequel to <em>Titles<em> as it's in my same headcanon universe for Post-Promised Day and I wrote them not far apart. Seeing the picture of the Edwin son in the last chapter/episode (especially in Brotherhood where they make the relation so obvious) I figured that the poor kid's going to spend his whole life being measured against his famous father. And then I thought that he wouldn't much care for that and that maybe, just maybe, the end of the FMA storyline we know wasn't really an end because the best of stories have the circling back and starting up again in a slightly different way. It seems that an Elric and a Mustang are always destined to circle one another and I think that's just how it should be.


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